Rotary gasolene-engine.



R. L. McINTYRE.

ROTARY GASOLENE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23, 1912. RENEWED MAR. 8, m5.

1 1 5 1 A89. Patented Aug. 24, 1915 3 SHEETSSHEET I.

i N P LO! Q \f amount-o6 Q vih Leweo RQbQrT, L .M lntyre I? Chg R. L. MclNTYRE.

ROTARY GASOLENE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. 1912. RENEWED MAR-8,1915.

Patented Aug. 24, 1915.

3 SHEET SHEET 2. O7

R. L. MclNTYRE.

ROTARY GASOLENE ENGINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY 23. '1912. RENEWED MAR. a. 1915.

I I avwamto'a Wimwoeo Robert L .M lutyre -/%,@ZW affonwq o ROBERT L. McINT-YRE, OF BRQOKLYN', NEW YORK.

ROTARY easoLnN -ENemn.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug, 2%, 1915.

Application filed may 23, 1912, Serial no. 699,278. Renewed March a, 1915. Serial 1%. 12,915.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ROBERT MCINTYRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at.

' Brooklyn, in the county'of Kings and State livering the compressed-charge from one cylinder into the firing space of the other. This andother objects are accomplished by constructing the machine in the manner hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and as shown in the drawings wherein.

Figure 1 1s j a front elevation of this machine complete, its upper portion being in vertical section on about the line 1-1 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is an end elevation taken from the left of Fig. land showing the upper portion of the left hand cylinder 7 in section about on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical'section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing the right handcylinder with the pistons therein standing in the position which they occupy when the pistons in the left hand cylinder stand as shownin Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is an enlarged horizontal section through bothv cylinders and the valve, taken on the line 44 of Fig. 1-; Fig. 5 is an plate 1 from which rise uprights 2 properlgdisposed to support twin cylinders whic stand side by slde and slightly separated,

and as they are alike a description of one will be sufiicient; The left hand cylinder L comprises parallel upright disks 3 having alined sleeves 4. at their. centers in which is journaled the main shaft 5, the disks neartheir edges being channeledas at 6 so that the channels coact to form an annular chamher which constitutes the cylinder proper and is preferably surrounded by water acket 7, and beyond this chamberthe perlpheries ofthe disks are flanged as at 8 and connected to each other by 'bolts 9-'-' suitable packing being interposed and not necessary to illustrate. ,t diametrically opposite points (herein shbwn as at top and bottom) the walls or mem' ers making up the cylinder are carried out beyond the flanges 8 and shaped to produce radial pockets 10 for the abutments to be described be- I low, the outer end of each pocket having a circular head 11 internally threaded for a plug 12 which is also for a purpose to be set forthbelow. Finally each cylinder is provided with an intake opening 13 and an exhaust opening 1 1, and with two other openings yet to be described, all these openings passing through the water jacket 7 if the latter be employed, and therefore neces- "sarily surrounded by pipes 15 as seen in Figs. 1 and 4. I have omitted illustration of the pipes leading to the opening 13 and from the opening 14, and of the carbureter,

' timer, and mufller which are both by preferenlarged vertical section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1'; Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of the abutment lock, and Fi 7 a perspective tail of one .of thef abutment heads; Fig,,; rs

an enlarged cross section through oneiedghy of the disk and one edge of acylinder whose chamber is made. rectangular, showing/also a section of a piston shaped to fit said chamber; Fig. 9 'is a perspective view of a por' tion of the modified form of the disk and one of the heads thereon Fig. 10 is a perspectiv'e viewof a portion of one edge of the disk with the recess therein,;. and of the other or cylindrical form ;of head atglachet'l thereto but slightlyremoved from said recess.

The'bed of this machine comprises abase ence used but form no part of the present invention. In fact, while this engine contemplates the use of gasolene which is to bevaporized, mixed with air, and fed into the intake; it is quite possible'thatsome -%'this specification given-the specific descrip viously tion and arrangement of parts, I reserve the right to make such changes therein as come within the spirit of this invention; and obthe sizes, shapes and proportions of all parts are not essential.

The pistons are also alike, and hence I describe but one. It comprises a disk or circular plate 17 of a thickness to fit closely between the two disks '3 of the cylinder other gas, mixture, or explosive agent might be employed. Furthermore it will be understoodthat while I have spoken of right and left where I refer to the cylinders here-v in, andzwhere I have otherwise throughout (which latter may have grooves for annular packing rings 16 if desired, contacting with said plate 17), its outer edge or periphery being transversely curved or dished as at 18 to conform with the curvature of the interior of the channel 6, excepting at-two diametrically opposite points where this edge is formed with recesses 19 as shown;

and two like heads or pistons proper, each consisting of a substantially cylindrical body 20 having a rib 21 along its lower side shaped to fit into said recess 19, its front end beveled downward or inward toward said rib" to form a nose 22, and its body grooved for piston rings 23 and of course curved slightly throughout its length so that it may travel through the circular channel 6. When so made each piston head may be set into one of the recesses 19 in the disk 17 and it becomes an easy matter to remove a piston head as for repairing it or replacing its rings; and as the disks 17 are set on the main shaft 5 with their recesses 19 at right angles to each other, the four piston heads in this engine occupy points quartering to each other. The direction of rotation of the main shaft follows the arrow in the various views, and therefore the nose 22 of each piston head moves forward.

.of a wrench, a jam nut 36 preferably engaging the threads so as to hold this screw in adjusted position. The spring and the abutment are located in the pocket 10 above described, and in order to make a close fit therein the head 30 may have transverse grooves 37 on its front and rearfaces in which fit packing strips 38 which rest against the inner walls of the pocket 10. Finally the inner corner of the abutment head is beveled oil as at. 39 on that edge which is to be struck by the nose 22 of each piston head in a manner yet to be described. The inner end of the abutment head rests normally upon the periphery 18 of the disk -17 at which time its body extends for some distance up into the pocket 10 as seen in Fig. 2; and it is to be understood that when a piston approaches, the nose 22 thereof will strike the bevel 39 of spring so that the piston can pass the abutment, after which the abutment is immediately projected inward by the expansive force of its spring 15.

The locking device for holding the abutthe abutment and raise the latter against the tension of its ment against outward movement as just dement. The wall of the outermost member forming part of thecylinder is provided with a horizontal recess 40 opening atits inner end into the annular channel 6 which forms the bore of the cylinder, and the upper and lower walls of this recess are formed with grooves 41 struck around a center in which stands an upright screw 42 whose head is accessible from above as seen in Fig. 1. On the shank of this screw is pivoted an eye 43 eccentrically disposed through a head 44 from which projects an arm 45 rounded transversely on that edge which is adjacent the channel'and of such length that it may swing within the recess 40. Near the free or outer end of this arm are upwardly and downwardly projecting lugs 44 which travel in the grooves 41, and as the inner ends of the latter do not open into the channel the lugs limit the inward movement of the arm so that it can swing noffarther than seen in Fig. 4. Finally, this arm is swung normally-inward by means of a spring 47 bearing against its outer side. Coacting with this look, the outer side of the body of the abutment is provided with a cross groove 49 within which the arm 45 stands unless it is moved outward against the tension of its spring, and as seen in Fig. 4, the shape of a nose 22 on each piston head is such that, as it approaches the abutment, the nose first strikes the eccentric head 44 of the lock and swings the arm 45 thereof .outof the groove 49 in the abutment, and next the beveled face of the nose strikes under the bevel 39 of the abutment head and raises the latter in a manner above described. If it were not for the use of these locks, the expansive force of the charge within the annular channel would be likely to press the abutments outward against the tension of their springs, when the fluid at one side of the abutment would leak past it to the space at the other side thereof with disastrous results to the running of the machine.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 8 and 9 contemplates the provision of spaced disks 3' on the cylinder casing connected across their outer edges as at 3 so as to produce a rectangular channel 6 instead of a circular one as elsewhere shown, and the use of packing rings 1.6 which may well be pressed inward by springs 16'. The piston within this casing has substantially the same disk 17 having side flanges li) project-ing from its periphery all the way around the same and of a width to make contact with said rings 16' as seen in Fig. 8. But the piston heads 20' are cast integral with said flanged edge of the disk and must of course be rectangular in cross section to fit the channel 6; and when the heads or the'channel wears an entirely new member must be inserted to prevent the escape of pressure past the heads. The periphery 18 will be this case doubtless be flat as shown, and the inner end of each abutment must be made to correspond-otherwise the abutments and their locks as above described can be used in connection with a piston as thus modified fully as well as in connection with the piston first above described. I might say, however, that whereas when the pistons are fitted into recesses in the edges of the disks 17, centrifugal force will throw them outward and there will be considerable wear on the outside of each piston head and on the outer wall of the channel 6; when the heads 20 are integral with the disks 17 there will be no wear at that point further than is occasioned by two members fitting closely together, and therefore the piston rings 23 shown in Fig. 10 are omitted from the heads illustrated in Fig. 9.

In conjunction with the rotary gasolene engine above described I make use of a rotary valve best illustrated in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. This comprises a casing 50 having an upright cylindrical bore 51 closed at its lower end as at 52 except for a central aperture and closed at its upper end by a removable cap 53 also having a central aperture; an upright shaft 54 extending through and journaled in said aperture with its extremlties surrounded by gland nuts 55 to prevent leakage; a valve plug 56 fast on said shaft and having a single diametric port 57 through its body; and four arms 58 radiating from the casing 50 to two plates 59 which are connected as at 60 to the inner walls of the cylinder casings as shown in Fig. 4, said arms and plates being cored with four passages 61, 62, 63 and 64 for a purpose to appear. This valve is rotated intermittently for quarter revolutions by means of a spur wheel 65 secured to the lower endof the shaft 54 and having four spurs 66 extending downward, these being successively engaged by the arms of a star wheel 67 fastened on the main shaft 5 as best seen in Fig. 5. When this star wheel revolves in the direction of the arrow, its arms successively engage the spurs 66 so that the valve plug 56 is given one complete revolution by intermittent steps during one complete revolution of the main shaft. This form of valve I find extremely efficient in a rotary gasolene engine of the type described, but I reserve the right to make use of other forms. of valve if desired.

The operation of my improved machine when constructed as above described, is as follows: The parts being connected up as described and the four ports 61, 62, 63, 64, in the valve casing either connected with the two cylinders or continued through their inner walls (as shown in Fig. 4, and therefore bearing the same numerals in Figs. 2 and 3), the intake 13 is to be connected with a suitable source of supply such as a carbureter, and the exhaust 14 may lead into the open air or into a mufiler if desired. If now the main shaft is started in the direction of the arrow with the valve standing in the position shown in Fig. 4, the lowermost piston head in Fig. 3 in ascending draws in a charge behind it through the intake 13 and compresses a charge in front of it between its nose and the bevel 39 of the abutment head at the top of this view, because the port 62 is closed by the valve plug 56. Just as this piston head reaches the position shown at the right of Fig. 2, the valve plug 56 turns for a quarter revolution and the port 62 is thrown into com munication with the port 64 so that the charge compressed in the cylinder R is delivered into the cylinder L for explosion at the proper time as will be described. It will be understood that each quarter revolution of the valve plug also cuts off communication between the ports 61 and 63, so that the operation we are now describing may simultaneously take place in the other cylinder illustrated in Fig. 2. Continuing this movement, the piston head next strikes the eccentric head 44 of the abutment lock and swings the arm 45 thereof out of the cross groove 49 in the abutment; and immediately thereafter the nose of the piston head strikes the bevel of the abutment and the latter is raised so that the piston head may pass beneath it, but this is done after the compressed charge has been passed across to the other cylinder as just described. Continuing its movement, the abutment drops back into place as seen at the top of Fig. 3, and the piston head passes the port 61 just in time to receive its compressed charge from the opposite cylinder L; and as soon as this piston head has moved a trifle farther the timer (not shown) is actuated to send an impulse through the spark plug so that the compressed charge is fired behind the piston head. The latter then continues its movement for a quarter revolution to about the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and meanwhile the piston within the cylinder L is going through the same operation. The piston head we are describing then completes another quarter revolution through the bottom of its path as seen at the bottom of Fig. 3, and repeats the above operation; and then while ascending at the right in Fig. 3 the operation is again repeated in the cylinder L. Thus it will be seen that there are two firing impulses, during the single revolution of each piston, and as the two pistons are set quartering to each other there are four explosions during a complete rotation of the main shaft, and the power applied to drive the latter is almost uninterrupted, because in addition to the head which latter is moving forward at the time the explosion occurs; and the only objection to such forward movement of this piston head is that its front face must eject the spent gases through the exhaust 14'. On

\ the other side of the disk 17 the opposite k with twin cylinders piston head is of course doing the work of compressing a charge. The labor performed twice during a rotation of the main shaft in swinging the abutment locks aside and in ,moving the abutment is very little, ,and not more in' any of them than the labor of opening the valves in an ordinary gasolene engine; but by my improved construction the compression of the fluid under the bevel 39 of each abutment assists in moving the latter as soon as its lock is swung aside.

As above suggested, any suitable form of carbureter, timer, and mufiier may be employed; and it will be clear that other pairs of pistons might be mounted on the same shaft, although in that case they would doubtless be keyed thereto in such manner that explosions would occur between the explosions of the pair under conslderation.

What is claimed as new is 1. In-a rotary en aving annular chambers, two radial abutments extending normally across the chamber of each cylinder, an intake, an exhaust, and a spark plug at suitable points within said chamber, a d1sk within each cylinder having two pistons moving within its chamber,and means for moving said abutments inward with yielding force, of a main shaft on which both disks are secured in such position that the pistons will stand quartering to each other, a cylindrical valve casing disposed between said cylinders and having four arms radiating therefrom quartering to each other and cored with ports whereof two communicate -with the interior of each cylinder, a rotary valve plug within said casing having a cross port adapted to connect two of said other ports alternately in pairs, and means for rotating said plug from the main shaft.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination with twin cylinders having annular cham-- bers, two radial abutments extending normally across the chamber of each cylinder, an intake, an exhaust, and a spark plug at suitable points within said chamber, a disk within each cylinder having two pistons ne, the combination,

disks are secured in such position that the pistons will stand quartering to each other, a cylindrical valve casing disposed between said cylinders and having four arms radiating therefrom quartering to each other and cored with ports whereof two communicate with the interior of each cylinder, a rotary valve plug within said casing having a cross port adapted to connect two of said other ports alternately in pairs, a .wheel on the shaft of said plug having four depending spurs, and a star wheel on' the main shaft provided with four arms successively engaging said spurs to turn the wheel and the plug a quarter revolution four times during a single revolution of the main shaft.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination with twin cylinders having annular chambers, two radial abutments extending normally across the chamber of each cylinder, an intake, an exhaust, and a spark plug at suitable points within said chamber, a disk moving withinvits chamber, and means for moving said abutments inward with yield-' ing force, of a main shaft on which both disks are secured in such position that the pistons will stand quartering to each other, a valve casing disposed between said cylinders and having four ports quartering to each other and two of them communicating with the interior of each cylinder, a valve movably located within said casing and having a cross port adapted to connect two of said four ports in pairs, and means for moving said valve.

4.- In a rotary engine, the combination with twin cylinders having annular chambers and oppositely disposed radial pockets, an abutment slidable radially in each pocket and having one face beveled and grooves in its sides, packing strips in said grooves, a

closure for the outer end of each pocket, and i an expansive spring between the closure and abutment; of a disk concentrically mounted within each cylinder, pistons'carried by said disk and movable in its chamber, each piston adapted to raise an abutment as the piston engages it, an intake into one cylinder, an exhaust from the other cylinder, a valve casing having ports leading to both halves of each annular chamber, valve mechanism within said casing for connecting one half of one cylinder with the other half of the otliir, and charge-firing means in the latter ha 5. In a rotary engine, the combination with twin cylinders having annular chambers and oppositely disposed radial pockets, an abutment'slidable radially in each pocket and having one face beveled, a plug removably closing the outer end of said pocket, a

screw adjustable through said plug and-having a cup-shaped head, and an expansive spring between said cup-shaped head and the abutment; of a disk concentrically mounted within each cylinder, two pistons carried by said disk, each having a nose adapted to engage and raise an abutment, an intake into one cylinder, an exhaust from the other cylinder, a valve casing having ports leading to both halves of each annular chamber, valve mechanism within said casing vfor connectingpne half of one cylinder with the other half of the other, and chargefiring means in the latter half,

6. In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder having an annular chamber and oppositely disposed pockets, abutments in said pockets, means for moving them radially inward with yielding force, and an intake, an exhaust, and a sparking device at suitable points within said chamber; of a disk concentrically journaled in the cylinder and having oppositely disposed recesses in its periphery, and two piston heads each comprising a cylindrical body of a size to fit closely within said chamber, and a rib along its inner side of a size to fit removably in one of said recesses.

7 In a rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder having an annular chamber and oppositely disposed pockets, abutments in the pockets, each having one face beveled, a spring behind each abutment bearing it normally inward, and an intake, an exhaust, and a sparking device at suitable points within said chamber; of a disk concentrically journaled-in the cylinder and having oppositely disposed recesses in its periphery and two piston heads each comprising a cylind'rical body of a size to fit closely within 1 said chamber and surrounded with grooves for packing rings, a nose adapted to contact with the beveled faces of said abutments, and a rib along itsinner side of a size to fit removably in one of said recesses.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of tWo subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT L. MoINTYRE. Witnesses:

ALEXANDER KATTENHORN, FRANK CAsTELL. 

